Author: Joanne L

Healthy and Delicious Asian Luffa Stew Recipe

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Healthy Luffa Stew

Asian Luffa Stew Recipe

Prep Time – 15 minutes / Cooking time – 15 minutes

This is an easy and healthy dish which I used to enjoy as a child.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium luffas, skin peeled and then roughly sliced
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons dried shrimps (also know as Haebi)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoons light soya sauce
  • 4 eggs, beaten lightly
  • Salt, pepper and sugar to taste
  • Fresh herbs for garnish (such as cilantro)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Ingredients: Peel and slice the luffas. Mince the garlic, wash and toast the dried shrimps
  2. Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the toasted shrimp. Once fragrant, add in the garlic and sauté till fragrant.
  3. Add the Luffa and cook until it is softened and liquid comes out.
  4. Add Broth and Seasoning: Pour in the vegetable or chicken broth. Stir in the oyster sauce and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  5. Simmer with Luffa: Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the luffa is tender.
  6. Season to Taste: Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
  7. Serve: Ladle the stew into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy with steamed rice!

This hearty and healthy stew is a perfect way to enjoy the unique flavour of luffa!

Basil Surprise

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Basil Surprise
Blessed by Basil

In celebration and anticipation of my firstborn, E’s sweet 16th birthday, our family embarked on a series of celebratory dinners. First up was a dinner part with 4 families, including ours. The parents were all long time friends from the same church, and the kids more or less grew up together over the years since kindy days.

E knew that we were expecting guests, but I kept mum about the fact that the dinner party was in celebration of his upcoming 16th.  He was, of course, pleasantly surprised when our guests walked through the door with gifts in hand (but then, who wouldn’t be?).

We all had a wonderful time, and now my kitchen smells wonderful – not least due to a huge bouquet of basil which my bestie Irene brought along to our dinner party, freshly harvested from her basil garden. Part of the basil bouquet is in tonight’s dinner – a lovely pesto pasta.  The rest, together with what seeds we could collect from the beautiful basil blooms, now resides in a pot just outside our kitchen. Here’s hoping that they will take root, blossom and  grow – along with precious friendships.

 

Happy Holidays!

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One of the best things about school holidays in Singapore where I live, is that there’s no requirement to wake up before the cock crows. Kids who attend local Singapore schools usually need clock in at their school gates before 7:30 in the morning – which means dragging them (and me) out of bed while it’s still dark. Another big plus point about school holidays is being able to enjoy a nice, hot breakfast, home made from scratch.

Today’s breakfast menu featured scrumptious scones with fluffy scrambled eggs and cherry tomatoes on the side.  ‘Tis true that scones are typically found on the Afternoon Tea section at British influenced food and beverage establishments – but hey – let’s not split hairs here. The kids were happy and so was I.  If you’re thinking of trying your hand at some easy scones, here‘s how I made it.

Easy and Delicious homemade scones with fluffy scrambled eggs and cherry tomatoes

Easy and delicious homemade scones served with fluffy scrambled eggs and cherry tomatoes

Easy Scones Recipe

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Delicious and healthy Homemade scones
Easy Scones

Active Time  – approximately 20 minutes

Baking Time  – 10-12 minutes

 

Ingredients:

350g self raising flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

85g butter, chilled and cut into small cubes (keep refrigerated till ready to use)

3 tablespoons sugar

180ml low fat milk

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 egg, beaten, for glazing

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees celsius (180 degrees celsius if using the fan forced option)
  2. In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, salt and baking powder together.
  3. Add butter to the bowl and rub in quickly, but thoroughly, with fingertips until mixture looks like finely ground biscuit crumbs. Add in the sugar and mix through using a spoon.
  4. In another glass, add the lemon juice to the milk and leave to stand for a few minutes.
  5. When the milk and lemon mixture starts to curdle, pour into the the large mixing bowl. With a butter knife, immediately combine the liquid into the dry mixture using a folding and slicing action. Do a few final turns of the mixture using your hands. As soon as the ingredients are fully combined, gather the dough into a ball and turn it onto a flat work table.
  6. Quickly flatten the ball to around  4cm. Use a 5cm round cutter to cut out as many scones as you can. Combine what is left of the dough into a ball and repeat the process till all the dough is used up. Try not to overwork the dough as this will cause with scones to become tough.
  7. Place scones on a lined baking tray and glaze with egg.  Put into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Serve warm with jam, butter and clotted cream.

Makes around 10 scones

Fresh Start

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Fresh Start
Fruit of the Day – It’s been a busy past 6 years and this year, my 7th, I had an epiphany. It was a result of several events which happened. But the long and short of it was that it became clear to me that this was a year to re-focus, re-charge and re-group. What exactly that means, I’m still figuring out. But here’s to a fresh start. Join me on my journey.